Chapter 30: That was a Disaster

The door to Gray’s room clicked shut gently behind them, muffling the soft hum of machines and the muted sound of Amelia’s voice. Isabel and Zach walked quickly down the hall, both silent until they reached the adjoining conference room—the private space connected to Gray’s room by one-way glass. Their usual observation post. Zach shut the door behind them with a sigh that was more of a growl. “Well,” he muttered, running a hand over his face. “That was a disaster.” “I thought she wasn’t coming until five,” Isabel said sharply, pacing across the room. “That was the whole point of scheduling the meeting early!” “She finished work early,” Zach snapped, more frustrated with himself than her. “It’s not like we could predict that. You saw her face. She was suspicious, Isa.” “I know,” she muttered, stopping in front of the glass and staring into Gray’s room, watching Amelia settle into the chair by his bedside, her expression softening as she looked at him. “She didn’t push. But she knows we’re hiding something. I could feel it.” Zach sat heavily in the chair closest to the table, his elbows on his knees. “We need to tighten this up. No more overlapping schedules. I already made a mental note to tell the guards. They should’ve recognized her.” “She’s not officially listed as next-of-kin. She’s not even registered as a medical contact. Of course they didn’t recognize her.” Isabel turned to face him, her voice low but urgent. “We’ve built this entire illusion for her comfort and his recovery. One wrong move like this and it could all fall apart.” Zach exhaled through his nose. “And we were doing so well.” Isabel pulled out her phone. “We need to loop in my parents. Now.” She tapped a few buttons, setting up a secure conference call. Within seconds, Vivienne and Charles’s voices came through. “Isabel? What’s wrong?” her mother asked, concern already thick in her tone. “Amelia came early,” Isabel said. “She walked in on Brian and Anthony. The guards didn’t let her through at first—Zach had to intercept. We smoothed it over, but she knows something’s off.” There was a pause, then Charles’s voice, firm and low: “How bad?” “We don’t know yet,” Zach answered. “She didn’t press, but she definitely clocked the suits. I told her they were Gray’s boss and his assistant, just checking in.” “She bought it for now,” Isabel added, “but we’re running out of time. We’re asking her to keep believing in a world that doesn’t exist. Eventually, she’s going to start asking questions.” “I’ll head back early if needed,” Vivienne said quickly. “We can come up with something more sustainable.” “No,” Isabel said, rubbing her temple. “You both need to finish the charity event. Pulling out now would raise red flags. We just need better coordination.” A knock came at the door—Dr. Andres and Dr. Levin. Isabel waved them in and put the phone on speaker. “What’s the update?” Dr. Levin asked as he slid into a seat. “We saw the security footage.” “Everything went sideways,” Zach replied flatly. “But she’s back in there now. Sitting with him like nothing happened.” Dr. Andres leaned forward. “We can’t risk startling her again. Her presence stabilizes him. Every day with her, his neural activity improves. The monitor spikes, the twitches—it’s consistent with cognitive responsiveness.” “We need to implement a tiered visitor protocol,” Isabel said firmly. “No unannounced meetings, and if there’s a non-medical guest, Amelia cannot overlap. And security needs to know her face by heart.” “We’ll add her to the approved list, discretely,” Dr. Levin nodded. “She won’t even know.” Then Zach straightened, suddenly energized. “We can do better than that.” Everyone turned to him. “We station someone—one of ours—in the main lobby. Plain clothes. Their only job is to spot Amelia the second she walks in and discreetly notify us upstairs. No delays.” Isabel nodded. “That could work.” “Also,” he continued, “I want one of our female security officers dressed as a nurse, stationed just outside Gray’s door full-time. She can double as support staff and eyes on the floor. No more blind spots.” “And maybe a patient or two,” he added, tapping a finger to his temple. “Security disguised as long-term patients in the wing. Friendly, approachable. Watching from inside the system. We don’t spook her, but we tighten the net.” Vivienne’s voice came through the speaker again, calm but approving. “I like this. Quiet protection. Amelia never feels surveilled, but we know every move within a twenty-yard radius.” Charles added, “The illusion must be warm, but controlled. We’re protecting two people here—Gray and her. If her presence keeps him fighting, then our job is to preserve that bond at all costs.” “And what happens when she figures it out?” Dr. Levin asked quietly. “Who we are. What this place really is.” There was a heavy silence. Zach broke it. “Then we deal with it honestly. When he wakes up, we let him decide. Until then, we protect her from the truth until she’s strong enough to handle it.” “Or until he’s strong enough to give it to her himself,” Isabel said softly. They turned back toward the glass. Inside the room, Amelia reached for Gray’s hand. The monitor gave its now-familiar response—a quiet spike, like a heartbeat lifting at the sound of her touch. “Look at that,” Dr. Andres murmured. “Even now, she calms him. Or wakes him. Or both.” Isabel nodded slowly. “She’s already part of him. Even if she doesn’t know it yet.” Zach leaned back in his chair, arms folded, eyes fixed on the girl who sat beside his best friend like she belonged there. Because somehow… she did.